Process of making lasted shoes with flanged insoles



July 7, 1953 A. E. KLEVE N 2,644,179

PROCESS OF MAKING LASTED SHOES WITH FLANGED INSOLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 27, 1951 Fig. 3

IN VEN TOR.

MG/("M 7M 047% J y 7, 1953 A. E. KLEVEN 2,644,179

PROCESSOF MAKING LASTED SHOES WITH FLANGED INSOLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 27 1951 AV AVA A INVENTOR.

' du'ction.

Patented July 7, 1953 PROCESS OF MAKING LAZSTED SHOES WITH FLANGED INSOLES Arthur E. Kleven, Augusta, Maine Application November 27, 1951, Serial No. 258,437 (01. 12-142) 2 Claims. 2

'This inventioncomprises a new and improved shoe having a flanged insole and includes within the novel shoemaking process of its proits scope While the invention has a broad application to the manufacture of shoes'or sandals of various types, as will be pointed out hereinafter, its most important field of use is that of shoes in which the upper is preformed accurately in contour to a sole member and then united thereto on" the last,

the last being subsequently inserted before'the bottoming operation is completed.

'The process of the present invention has important advantages from the standpoint of economy. It eliminates many of the heretofore conventional shoemaking operations and substantially reduces the length of time the last is tied up in the individual shoe. Heretofore the manufacturer has been obliged to sacrifice the fine lines of quality shoemaking and stylish appearance of the product in order to secure the advantages of economy. The present invention, however, while preserving all the advantages of slip lasting economy, makes possible the production of shoes having all the appearance of the finest shoes heretofore produced by the McKay, Compo or welt .processes.

The process of my invention is characterized by the steps of attaching a flexible upstanding wall or flange to the peripheral edge portion ofa flat insole,

Wall in substantially flush relation and with the wall directed outwardly or at right angles to the insole, then inserting a last into the upper, and subsequently folding the wall and the cemented edge portion of the upper inwardly as aunit. and securing it to the outer surface of the insole.

The construction of the rib is of secondary importance so long as it is sufficiently stiff to maintain an upright .position at substantially right 'angles'to the surface of the insole and sufficiently flexible to be folded smoothly inwardly carrying with it the margin of the upper so that it may be cemented or otherwise secured to the insole. The best procedure now known to me forforming the upstanding wall is textile material folded upon itself and provided with attaching flanges which may be adhesively secured to the opposite flat faces of the insole.

When this wall or flange is folded inwardly with the marginal portion of the upper that has been secured to it, the upper is in effect subject to a very substantial lasting operation, that is, the entire margin of the upperis drawn forceably inwardly over the last bottom and secured in place uniting the inner marginal'edge 'portion of a closed upper to the outer surface of the to employ a binding strip of under substantial lasting tension. In this step it will be seen that a decided leverage action is asserted by inward pressure upon the upstanding laminations of the wall and the lasting margin of the upper so that the fine lines of the last are brought out in the upper to a much greater extent than has been possible in slip lasting methods heretofore practised. Preferably and as herein shown, the lasting margin of the upper is skived on its outer surface before being attached to the upstanding wall of the insole. This results in the formation of a smooth bottom when the laminations of the wall and lasting margin ofthe upper are folded down and secured in flat condition to the insole, and a bottom to whichan outsole may be conveniently secured by cement.

The novel process of my invention may be practised with great advantage in the production of welt shoes in that the upstanding wall and margin of the upper are presented in ideal condition for the attachment of a welt. Accordingly, in producing a welt shoe, the welt may be conveniently placed next to these upstanding laminations and secured thereto by stitching or stapling. Then, as before, the upstanding laminations together with the inner margin of the welt are folded inwardly over the last bottom and adhesively secured to it. This folding operation tends'to throw the outer margin of the welt into the horizontal position required for outsole stitching and, as before, the upper is subjected to an efiective lasting operation about its entire periphery.

These and other features of the invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred manner of practising'the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of an insole showing its wall or flange partially pulled away from the edge,

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective showing the insole and an upper preparatory to being united,

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective showing the lasting margin of the upper as adhesively united to theupstanding wall of the insole,

Fig. 4 is a viewin perspective of the upper upon an inserted last,

Fig, 5 is a fragmentary View on an enlarged scale showing the relation of the folded laminations of the wall and upper to the insole,

Figs. 6 and 7 are views in perspective corresponding to Figs. 3 and 4 showing a welt in position upon the upper,

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view corresponding to Fig. 5 showing the relation of the upstanding 3 laminations of the wall and upper to the insole, that is to say, the position of these parts before they are folded, and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view illustrating the construction of a Welt shoe as completed from the parts shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

One of the important advantages of my improved process is apparent at once from a consideration of the insole employed. It requires no channeling, lip-turning or reinforcing but comprises merely a thin flat blank H) which may be of any suitable insole leather or stiff fibrous material not over three or four irons in thi'clrness. An upright wall H that is sew-sustaining is erected about the edge of the insole-blank l preferably consisting of a binding tape or textile strip adhesively coated, folded upon it self and provided with an inner flange [2 which issecured to the inner face of the blank Ill, and

another flange [3 which is secured to the outer face of the blank it. The binding strip may be homogeneous or, as shown in Fig. 1, it may comprise a composite strip of two materials secured together by zig-zag stitching. In some cases the inner portion including the flange '12 may be a textile adhesive tape while the remainder of the wall or flange may he of fibrous composition. In any case the wall is applied progressively about the e'd ge of theblank l0 and its ends butted. The wall or flange is substantially flush at its lower edge with the inner face of the insue, that is to say, the race which is lowermost in Fig. '1 or next the wearers foot in the finished shoe. The insole may be prepared entirely in the stock fittingdeparti'r'ient and comes to the making room in the condition shown in Fig. 2.

Meanwhile the upper 14 is p're-formed in the stitching room so that its peripheral contour exactly fits the contour of the wall ll of the insole. Preferably and as herein shown, the lasting margin of the upper is skived' to provide a zone i which is thus slightly reduced in thickness and give a surface particularly well adapted to take an adhesive coating.

The next step of theprocess consists in adhesively uniting the lasting margin of the upper to the upstanding portion of the enter surface of the upright Wall Tl This may be conveniently done by hand or with the assistance of a support for holding the flanged insole while the margin of the upper is progressively brought into the proper location and caused to adhere by pressure to the wall. The condition of the partiallyformed shoe at this stage is indicated in Figs. 3 and Sand from these it will be seen that the wall H of the insole and the lasting margin of the upper project upwardly abovethe outer face of the insole l0 and substantially at right angles thereto, with the marginal edge of the upper terminating substantially flush with the upper edge of said wall. a

The process has now been carried to the point where the upper is ready to receive thelast, and

accordingly the proper last 16 is now forced into the upper. This'operation is usually carried out on a hinged last which is spindled on a vertical pin in collapsed condition with its toe portion projecting upwardly at about The toe of the upper is usually mulled to soften the box toe material and in this condition the upper is pulled on to the last. The toe portion of the last is then swung downwardly, the last elongated and latched in position holding the upper'under considerable longitudinal stress and causing it to conform to the surface contour of the last. I

The next step of the process consists in forceably folding inwardly the laminations of the wall II together with the lasting margin I5 of the upper and securing these laminations as a unit in flat condition upon the outer face of the insole. At this stage of the process the last I6 provides a solid body within the upper and the upstanding laminations of the united wall and upper are conveniently positioned and held in place to receive a substantial inward pressure which, with a continuous leverage action, places the upper M under substantial lasting strain. The folded over 'laininations may be flattened down and caused to adhere securely to the insole H] by pressure or by pounding, and these parts now occupy the position shown in Fig. 5.

Havingb'rought the shoe to the condition indicateelin Figs. 4 and 5 the bottom may be filled and an outsole laid and attached by cement or, if the last is withdrawn, by Littleway or McKay stitching. y

The process of my invention is illustrated in its application to the manufacture of welt shoes in Figs. 6, '7 and 9. In Fig. 6 the lasted-margin 24 of the upper 25 is shown as 'adhesively attached to the upstanding wall ll of the insole. A vv'elt 2G is shown as secured by staples 27 to the up- 'e'onta'ct with the insole surface.

uhde'i the lasting stress;

standing laminations of the lasting margin 24 and the Wall E l. In F i'gh6 the last I 6 is shown as already inserted in the upper, but it will be understood that the Welt 23 may be secured to the upper either before or after the last is inserted and that instead of by staples the welt it may be sewed to the upper by conventional i'n'se'a'm sewing machine or otherwise.

In Fig. 7 the partially completed shoe is shown as having the laminations of the lasting margin of the upper and wall ll folded inwardly, flattened down and adh'esively secured to the surface of the insole it; and in' this operation as before the upper is subjected to a substantial lasting strain created and augmented by the leverage action of infolding pressure on the upstanding laminations of the unified upper and wall H. In this operation the outer portion of the welt 26 is brought into approximately horizontal position about the periphery of the shoe and ordinarily will not require any sup lement tary welt beating to position it for the humble lock-stitching step. H

As suggested in Fig; 9, the bottom of the shoe may be completed by the application or a finer 28 between the overlas't'ed margins or the upper, the laying or an outsole '29, and an outsole stitching operation by which an htsearh 3D is fdii'ne'd to unite the welt 26' and the outsole 29.

The wall u or the insole is she'wh in an enlarged scale in Figs. 5. s and 9. It's' as heal characteristics are that it must be he ble" so that it may be easily folded about a vertexes- 'aceht to the outer peripheraredge hr the insole m and at the same time stiff'efi'ou'gh' as a whole to resist crushing. Having these eha cteristics it will be seen 'that the wan acts "a a p everdraw the attached lasting margin [5 of the upper when it is rdreeahiy folded inwarmy through an angle or about and into I In F1 nd 8 the heavy mach-line n indicates the-are or cement uniting the wan H; and t e lasting sin 15 and it will be hated that this terminates opposite the outer edge face or the ihseie f0, leaving the upper below that point free tom'dv'e The edgeor the 1- ativ'ely stifi insole act as armcruhiahefit which the upstanding united plies of the upper and wall are folded and over which the unsecured portion of the upper is drawn.

While there are advantages in supporting the upper internally by an inserted last, shoes may be produced in accordance with the process of my invention without the assistance of a last at any time. For example, it is necessary to support the upper only temporarily and only at the point in its periphery where its upstanding margin is being folded inwardly with the insole flange above the insole. 'Such support may be furnished by a horn, jack or rest shaped to enter the inner angle between the upper and the insole and past which the shoe may be moved as the folding step is progressively carried out.

The upper may include an, open or closed vamp, or it may be in the form of straps as in a strap sandal. Accordingly, the term upper is used herein in a broad sense to cover such constructions. It will be apparent also that in uniting the margin of the upper to the upstanding flange of the insole cement, staples, stitching or tacks may be used as best suited to the particular work in hand, all within the scope of the present invention. Also, if desired, the toe and heel ends of the upper may be preformed by molding before being attached to the upstanding flange of the insole. In some cases, moreover, the flanged sole may be incorporated in the shoe asa mid-sole and for purposes of the present invention should be considered as an equivalent of the insole specifically shown and described herein.

Having thus disclosed my invention and described in detail a preferred embodiment thereof, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The process of making lasted shoes which comprises providing a stiff insole having a flexible, easily folded upstanding wall that is stiff enough to resist crushing bound to its peripheral edges by flanges attached to the upper and lower fiat faces of the insole, said wall extending in substantial alignment with the peripheral edge face of said insole, adhesively attaching the marginal edge of an upper to only, and throughout, the upstanding portion of the outer face of said wall with said edge terminating substantially flush with the upper edge of said wall, inserting a last in the upper, forceably folding the Wall with the attached marginal edge of the up per inwardly over the exposed face of the insole while supported by the last and thereby drawing the adjacent unattached portion of the upper over the edge of the insole, and securing the folded Wall with the attached marginal edge of the upper to the exposed face of the insole.

2. The process of making lasted shoes which comprises providing a stiff insole that has bound to its edge portion a preformed, self-sustaining upstanding wall that is stiff enough as a whole to resist crushing, and flexible enough to be folded smoothly, said wall extending in substantial alignment with the peripheral edge face of said insole and enclosing a sole-shaped area, attaching the lasting margin of an upper only to the outer face of the upstanding portion of the wall with the edge of said lasting margin terminat ing substantially flush with the upper edge of said wall, inserting a last in the upper, forceably folding the wall with the attached margin of the upper inwardly over the exposed face of the insole including the toe portion thereof while the latter is supported by the last and thereby drawing the adjacent unattached portions of the upper over the edge of the insole, and securing the folded wall directly throughout its full width to the exposed face of the insole with the attached margin of the upper overlying the folded wall and separated from the insole by the single thickness of the wall.

ARTHUR E. KLEVEN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,574,028 Craber Feb. 23, 1926 2,225,192 White et al Dec. 17, 1940 2,427,179 Ayers Sept. 9, 1947 2,467,389 Kamborian Apr. 19, 1949 2,492,782 Caltabiano et al. Dec. 27, 1949 

